The Court of Appeal has reserved its decision in the case of a man who wants to sue the authorities in Saudi Arabia for £2m over torture allegations.

Ronald Jones, 50, of Crawley, West Sussex, is one of four who claim they were taken into custody after a bomb in Riyadh in 2001 and brutally tortured.

The High Court struck out the claim in July 2003, ruling the authorities were protected by "sovereign immunity".

The Saudi government has denied the claims of all four men.

'Post-traumatic stress'

The court heard on Tuesday that the tax adviser, who injured in the bomb which went off outside a book store, was detained for 67 days.

His counsel, Mr Michael Crystal QC, said Mr Jones was repeatedly beaten on his hands and feet, slapped in the face, suspended by his arms for prolonged periods and subjected to sleep deprivation and mind-altering drugs.